We see it everywhere, technology has provided us a lot of “quality of life” improvements to our daily interactions, routines, and lifestyles. Not only has technology improved the ability for people to do what they want, it’s also given them the ability to live how they want. As technology improves, there are smaller indirect benefits we all receive. For example, newer HVAC units end up running more efficiently while still providing heating & cooling. This ends up saving the owner money over time that they’ll be able to spend on their hobbies. As with most appliances, over time technology will be fine tuned to be more efficient for use, and less wasteful to run. The HVAC industry is no different, as a series of product improvements are set to start taking shape as the shift for energy efficient units pushes onward. A future of growth awaits a rapidly growing industry.
California and Heat Pumps
By the year 2030, California has set a goal of 6 million heat pumps installed across its homes. The reason that there has been a push towards these is because of their energy output. Heat pumps use electricity instead of gas, which make them less intensive to run. However, this doesn’t mean that heat pumps are always the better solution. It entirely depends on the situation, as heat pumps have their drawbacks too. They take longer to warm up, and a furnace can provide higher levels of heat. When considering considering California weather (especially for us in Orange County) vs the country, a heat pump makes sense. Gas furnaces will be needed, but their numbers should decrease as the masses switch to heat pumps.
Geothermal Systems
You have been hearing it for a couple decades now – the conscious effort to “go clean” from any and every business. Reducing our overall carbon footprint is important to our future, and the HVAC industry is taking its measures as well. Furnaces burn fossil, whereas geothermal systems collects heat from the surrounding earth. Heat pumps can source their heat from the ground (geothermal), or from the air (air source heat pumps). Although they are known for having a relatively high cost, they are capable of delivering 4X the efficiency of other systems. Since these units also don’t use refrigerant, they are also extremely environmentally friendly. Simple improvements such as these lead to a longer, sustainable future.
Solar HVAC
Sustainability has been at the forefront of thought leadership throughout the years, and another improvement in that direction is utilizing solar energy. Thermally driven HVAC systems provide a much more efficient alternative to traditional systems. There is on caveat however – these systems utilize natural gas when unable to use solar energy. Although they do utilize gas for their reserve, the overall footprint is much smaller. Electricity costs are essentially eliminated and the environment is benefiting, a win/win.
Smart HVAC Technology
Probably one of the more important shifts beyond the mechanics of HVAC units, is their usability. Smart technology allows most end users to have much more control & customization than before. Scheduling, geofencing, and other granular controls such as lighting, humidity, fan speed, etc. are all adjustable for more personalized comfort. Everyone has different desired living conditions, and this helps nurture their specific needs. Those “quality of life” improvements I mentioned before? Customization is a prime example of what they would look like.
Temperature zoning
Certain areas of the home need more cooling than others, and temperature zoning from HVAC systems tackles the issue well. Ductless systems, VRF systems, and central air systems can all take advantage of zoning. Sometimes there are corners of the house that need extra attention, and don’t receive proper heating/cooling naturally. Zoning provides dedicated control to a specific room via dedicated thermostat, secondary HVAC setup, or intricate ducting. Dependent on what is needed, one of those solutions are implemented. Although this is not solving any efficiency issues, it is still solving a problem that furnaces of the past struggled with.
Conclusion
In the near future we will begin adopting a good amount of the aforementioned technologies, if we haven’t already. Relying less on older fuels like gas as systems get more advanced is our natural progression to a cleaner world. The shift of the masses to heat pumps in the next 7 years feels like the biggest shift we will see in the near future. I say that tongue in cheek, as technology always finds a way to surprise us with its growth. Moving into 2024, technological improvements will only get better around our core parts of life, and we feel indoor air quality and environmental health will benefit greatly in the next following years. There are probably techniques/ideas that have yet to hit the table that will make everyday comfort even easier. Tech has greatly improved the HVAC industry and we believe it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.